Destination: Tunnel Vision

Where do all the people go in winter? For lunch and other delights, take a saunter in the Pedway.

By Kim Conte

(page 4 of 6)

Keep going . . .

As you walk south, you'll pass through the (5) Boulevard Towers (205 N. Michigan Ave.), where the Pedway seems to end. You can stay underground by taking a rather sparsely populated shortcut down the escalator, past the trains, and up the ramp, ending at the shiny new Millennium Metra Station at Randolph Street and Michigan Avenue (skip ahead to number 8). Or exit the Illinois Center, cross Lake Street, and enter the (6) Prudential Plaza a few doors east (its exact address is 130 E. Randolph St., but use the north entrance on Lake Street); the street-level Pedway, one of the classier parts of the trip, picks up again in the lobby. Highlights include King's Row barbershop; Golden Rose florist; Nailcessity salon; and Curves fitness center.

A detour east down the stairs will take you to the (7) Aon Center (200 E. Randolph St.), where the Pedway offers more chain lunch options (Au Bon Pain, Salad Spinners, Sopraffina), services (travel agency, cleaners, florist, men's hair salon), and a U.S. post office. Before the Pedway dead-ends into the Lakeshore Athletic Club and Fairmont Hotel, look for the fruit-and-juice bar next to Au Bon Pain and order one of its fantastic frozen-yogurt smoothies made with fresh fruit. Another good destination is Café 200, which serves sushi, Mexican fare, salads to order, and brick-oven pizza, cafeteria style.

To head west from the Prudential Plaza, take a stairway in the lobby on the Randolph Street side of the building; it leads to the Pedway in the (8) Millennium Metra Station. Before entering the station, however, be sure to stop in at Market Creations; Prudential office workers rave about the huge grilled panini—in particular, the Reuben on soft rye with corned beef, Swiss cheese, and Thousand Island dressing (it's not on the regular menu, so ask). The station also offers a clean and bright public restroom.